20 charged in NJ teen sexting ring

Twenty people have been charged as part of a teen sexting ring at Cape May Regional High School and a middle school in New Jersey.

Prosecutors say the accused -- 19 of them are juveniles -- traded nude pictures of underage girls on cell phones and social media.

The investigation began April 23 when a girl told school officials that boys were distributing naked pictures of a friend. School officials alerted police, who searched 27 cell phones as part of the investigation.

All were charged with invasion of privacy. Juveniles in the case could spend two years in a juvenile detention facility, while the adult faces three to five years in state prison.

6ABC talked to a mom of a 14-year-old boy charged in the case.

"The girls know that the boys trade them and it's kind of a game that the girls want to be involved in," the unidentified mom told the station.

Prosecutors in Cape May County say the charges can help deter cyberbullying, saying in a statement that it is “imperative that these students understand the severity of their actions and the impact that their actions have on themselves, their victims, and the community. Students in other Cape May County schools should be aware that these actions are criminal and can lead to prosecution.”